ENDCAP DISPLAYS KEEP VIDEOS RENTING AT BASHAS'

DAN ALAIMO

CHANDLER, Ariz. -- Bashas' Markets is facing the challenge of finding room for video rental in space-constrained stores by installing endcaps with flip-frame rack displays, said Ray Wolsieffer, video specialist.

Bashas' is keeping 80 of its existing rental departments. However, about six months ago, the retailer started putting in the endcap display fixtures in other stores, Wolsieffer said. The racks are from Specialty Store Services, Morton Grove, Ill. The displays hold about 800 to 850 units of DVD and VHS inventory, but no catalog product -- only new releases, he said. The racks contain empty boxes, with the actual disc or tape kept behind a service counter.

The retailer is putting the units into remodels and new stores "rather than lose the department or not put a department in," he said. Wolsieffer expects to have about 10 of them installed by the end of the year.

Inventory on the fixtures is changed constantly, Wolsieffer said, with a 60% DVD to 40% VHS mix. "I expect it to maintain at least 58% to 62% gross profits on rentals," he said.

"Today in our industry, we have to provide a lot more product, and we are leaning to a lot more nonfood. We also have a lot of specialty offerings at Bashas'.

"As a result, we may not have a totally dedicated video area like we used to," he said. Wolsieffer observed that the endcap approach provides a way to keep video in the stores.

"We are looking at other alternatives, too. Sometimes, we might do a wall unit using the flip frames. We are very creative in coming up with alternatives for keeping video in the Bashas' stores," Wolsieffer said.

The idea originated at Bashas' with the support of management, he noted. Bashas' uses Video Products Distributors, Sacramento, Calif., as its primary video distributor.